Thankfully, Dubbo is experiencing a mini-housing boom and some of our residential estates are selling house blocks like hot cakes.

This is great for the city’s economy and keeps many people employed. Obviously further encouragement of our housing industry sector is needed so that’s why I am pushing for a new ‘can-do’ attitude with planning and development within council.

We have many challenges that need to be met head on in regards to growth.

Firstly, identifying the type of housing stock that the modern local market requires is an issue that generates a lot of debate. There is still a lot of push back from some sectors of the community which experienced growth in the 1970s and recall a simpler time prior to decades of significant change in Australia’s social profile.

The reality is that our modern society faces different challenges and our social profile, family composition and living arrangements have changed.  Our population is ageing, more people are remaining single and the percentage of couples that decide to remain childless is increasing.  Even couples with children are, on average, having fewer children than what they would have in the last century.

Our incomes can vary.  Some locals are well off, while a lot of people remain in the ‘Aussie battler’ category.

This causes a fascinating, yet challenging problem for council which must plan for our city’s future.

In the past few years we have seen off the potential planning nightmare of dramatically increased residential housing in South Dubbo. The official reason for attempting the South Dubbo rezoning was that it is about providing smaller housing options that would be attractive to retirees, low income earners and singles.

Thankfully retrofitting South Dubbo by changing the zoning was correctly identified as leading to congestion and irreversible damage to the social fabric of their neighbourhood. 

I believe we were right to ‘Save Our South’ and tell those seeking a quick buck in development to go back to the drawing board.

Since that debate Dubbo has entered into a period of housing growth on greenfield sites where proper planning, amenities and building can be used to create liveable neighbourhoods which are diverse and appealing to a range of social demographics.  

In fact, I can’t think of a period in my lifetime where there has been so much competition between rival housing developments.

Councillors right now are busy consulting and researching on how to best include denser housing in these new subdivisions that will not lead to social problems or put unreasonable strain on neighbourhood water and road infrastructure.

By following sound planning principles on greenfield sites, we are able to create a variety of housing types that can be as attractive as it is affordable and practical.

In this new term of council we have seen various proposals that are exciting because they are designed correctly in the first place.

In other areas of the State innovative planning and design techniques are used in new subdivisions that provide a variety of housing needs but also keep social harmony.

As the Mayor, I am keen to get Dubbo open for business again. That includes realistic dialogue with planners and greenfield developers.

I am particularly excited by a number of proposals that are due to be put before council.

Providing all correct regulations are in place, the conflicting squabble and self-interest that saw the birth of the Save Our South debate can now finally be put to rest.